Heel end assembling machines



April 6, 1965 T. D. DELL HEEL END ASSEMBLING MACHINES Filed NOV. 21, 1962 o 2 /56 0 78 Z0 O 66 52 I I o l 6 4 22 p M2 70 I 92 ///0 -72 94 74 8/ 6 A34 52 4 2:- /a ':}::-.:-.-.:::r::::;

i O Inventor mas D. D A38 2 By his Attorney 0 Am A7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1965 T. D. DELL 3,176,332

HEEL END ASSEMBLING MACHINES Filed Nov. 21, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Oil-"ice 3,176,332 Patented Apr. 6, 1965 3,176,332 HEEL END ASSEMBLING MACHINES Thomas D. Dell, Wantagh, N.Y., assignor to United Shoe This invention relates to machines for use in the manutfiacture of shoes and is herein illustrated in its application to machines for use in assembling shoe upper parts on their lasts. A machine of this type is illustrated and described, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 1,602,618, granted October 12, 1926, on an application filed in the name of Norwood H. Knowlton, and in United States Letters Patent No. 2,778,040, granted January 22, 1957, on an application filed in the name of Herbert J. Willmott.

In machines of this type a shoe last having an insole temporarily attached to its bottom surface is mounted on a work support which has been swung forwardly into a loading station and shoe upper parts are placed in assemibled relation upon the last either before or after the last is mounted on the work support. The work support, to-

' gether with the last and shoe upper par-ts mounted thereon, isthen swung rearwardly into an operating station in which a horizontal tack is driven through the upper materials and into the last to provide retention for the upper materials in their assembled position on the last, the back line portion of the lasting margin of the upper is wiped inwardly over the insole and a vertical lasting tack is driven in the region of the back line to secure the overlasted upper materials to the insole.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in a machine of the type above referred to means providing stability for the work supporting means in its position in the loading station in order to facilitate the mounting of a last on the work supporting means and the positioning and arranging of shoe upper parts on the last. It is a further object of the invention to provide for the positioning of the last and the shoe parts thereon heightwise thereof in the operating station and further to provide for the retention of the last in its operating position in the operating station during the lasting and tack driving operations.

With the above and other objects in view as will hereinafter appear, the present invention in one aspect thereof contemplates the provision in a shoe machine of a work supporting means having provision for the mounting of a form such, for example, as a shoe last upon which shoe upper parts are to be shaped, the work supporting means being mounted for movement between a loading station and an operating station and being characterized by means for holding the work supporting means against movement from the loading station toward the operating station and means operated by movement of a shoe form on the work supporting means for releasing the supporting means for movement from the loading station to the operating station. In the illustrated machine the shoe form is mounted on a member which affords movement of the form be tween a loading position and an operating position while the work supporting assembly is positioned in the loading station and the release of the work supporting means for movement from the loading station to the operating station is effected by movement of the shoe form supporting member from its loading position to its operating position.

In order to provide for the retention of the shoe last in its operating position for the performance of the lasting and tack driving operations, the illustrated machine is provided with a locking member mounted on a spindle incorporated in the work supporting means, said locking member being operable only when the last supporting member is in its operating position relatively to the spindle to lock said member against movement relatively to the spindle from its operating station.

For positioning a shoe form on the work supporting means heightwise thereof in the operating station in predetermined relation to the operating instrumentalities, the illustrated machine is provided with means herein illustrated as a cam member fixed in the machine head and operative during movement of the work supporting means from the loadin station to the operating station to determine the position of the shoe form height'wise thereof. The illustrated positioning member acts to cam the shoe form downwardly from an elevated position into its operating position during the movement of the work sup porting means toward its operating station. In the illustrated cam means a pair of spaced arms engage opposite marginal portions of shoe upper parts on the form. In the event that the shoe upper parts mounted on the form include an inwardly flanged counter, said spaced arms insure the seating of the flange upon the shoe bottom and a proper disposition of the counter heightwise thereof for the lasting and tack driving operations.

These and other features of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a left side elevation illustrating an assembling machine embodying the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a valve assembly and associated parts;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged left side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the work supporting assembly;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating mechanisms for positioning the shoe in the operating station;

FIG. 5 is a left side elevation showing the work supporting assembly as it is arranged in the operating station; and

FIG. 6 is a front elevation illustrating the upper portion of the wor supporting assembly.

The invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type illustrated, for example, in the Knowlton Patent No. 1,602,618, hereinbefore referred to. Machines of this type comprise a machine frame or column 1% having at its upper end a head 12 in which is mounted a driver 14 for driving a temporary tack generally horizontally through the back line portion of shoe upper materials and into a last on which the upper materials are mounted thereby to hold them in an assembled position on the last in which position they were previously located manually by the operator. Machines of this type also include a driver 18 for driving a tack vertically downwardly through overwiped back line portions of the upper materials and through an insole on the last bottom, this tack being clenched against a metal plate on the heel end portion of the last bottom.

For mounting a last such, for example, as the last 29 indicated by broken lines in FIG. 1 and shoe upper materials loosely mounted thereon the illustrated machine is provided with work supporting means identified generally in FIG. 1 by the numeral 22. The illustrated work supporting means comprises a carrier 24 pivotally mounted at 26 in the base of the column 10 for swinging movement toward and from the front of the column. The carrier has fixed thereon and extending forwardly therefrom a step 28 to which is secured in upstanding position a shaft 3d which receives in sliding engagement the lower end portion of a tubular member or spindle 32. For yieldingly supporting the tubular member on the upper end of the shaft a spring 34 (FIG. 3) is mounted in the tube 32 and confined between theend of the shaft 30 and a headed screw 36 mounted in the tube. Mounted in'the upp extending position illustrated in FIG. 3. The shaft 38 is held against rotation in the tube .32 by a headed screw 48 extending through a bore in the tube and into a tapped hole in the shaft. Pivotally mounted at 50 ion the block arranged to project upwardly from the head for engagement in the thimble' (not. shown) provided in the er end portion-of the jtubel 32 is a shaft 38 having at its upper extremity an axial, 'stem 40 on which is mounted a block-42. Incorporated in the block 42 is a split clamp structure 44 provided, with a clamping screw 46'whereby thecla'mp is closed 7 upon the stem 49 to secure the block 42 in its forwardly j on'thelast. If the shoe uppermaterials include an in wardly flanged counten'the bearing of the. widened cen- FIG. 4, the plate 76 is widened at its, central portion to provide 'for its. engagement with the opposite side marginsof the heel end portions of the shoe upperj materials tral portion of the plate againstithe opposite marginal portions of 'the'upper materials insures a proper seating of the counter flange upon the insole on the last bottom,

:- 7 or in the case of a lined quarter,upon the inwardly m- 42 is a swinging head-52which carries a last pin 54 heel end portion'of the last. The head 52 is provided with a pair of lugs 56 which straddle the, forwardly extending portion of the head and provide amounting for the pivot pin 50." The head SZis swung from its loading position illustrated in FIG; 3 to its operatingposition illustrated in FIG. while the work supporting assembly is in its loading station as shown-inFIG; 3.

flanged. rnar'ginof the lining positioned between the counter flange and the insole. 'It will'be understood that a prop-er seating-ofthe flange of the counter upon the insole insuresa suitable disposition of the'counte'r height- WlSC'thfiIGOf relatively to thela st.

v In the loading of the lastand the shoe uppermaterials on the work supporting assembly it is the usual procedure to mount a last, onto which an insole has been temporarily tacked,'on-the last pin 54'a-s indicatedin FIG. 3 and,:with

ithe last in itsdownwardly inclin'edposition indicated in In its forwardly swung position iillustratedin FIG. 3 I the head 52 is position-ed by the'engagement of a screw 1.

58 mounted in a forward extension 60 of the head with a beveled surface-61 formed in the forward portion of v the block 42. 'In its operating position illustrated in FIG. 5 the head 52 is so arranged that, the last pin 54 is disposed'in axial relation to the tube 32,. this position of the head 52 being determined. by the engagement of bottom surfaces 62 formed in the head 64 formed in the block 42.

52 with shoulders In the operation of'thernachine an inverted last on a which shoe'upper materials have :beenassembled .is

mounted on the. forwardly inclinedlast'piri 54, as shown in FIG. 3, whereupon'the operator swings the last together with the last pin 54 and the head 52 into their upright position and then moves the last together. with the work supportingassembly rearwardly into-its operatsaidfigure ato mount the heel end p ortions of the shoe upper materials upon the heel end portion of the last.

.During these operations it is desirable that the worksupporting assembly be rigidly held against downward movement and again-st rearward swinging movement in order to give it suitable stability for-the manual 'mountingjof the last and the shoe upper :partsthereon. To this end the illustrated machine is .providediwith an arm 82 rigidly mounted on the lower'portionl of a casting 84 (FIG. 1) bolted to the forward portion of the column 10 at its upper extremity, -The arm 82 extends forwardly with a downward inclinationfron'r the ,casting84. and is arranged at the right side of the work supporting assembly. I At its forward extremity the arm has a downward. extension 86 1 which has mounted'thereon a generally horizontal plate ing station as shown in FIG. 5. In the operatingstation the last and the upper materials thereon areilocated lengthwise thereof by engagement with a fixed V-block "66 through which the horizontal tack is driven.-' The'heel end portion" of the last and the uppermaterials thereon are urged against the V-block by the expansion of a spring 68 (FIG. 1) which actuatesa hook 7 0 constructed and arranged to exert a cam action on aroll 72 mounted between rearwardly extending arms 74 of thecarrier 24. A cam (not shown) mounted on a cam shaft in the head of the machine acts'on a lever 80 to load the spring 68 duringthe latter part of the machine cycle and re: leases the spring to cause the operation of the hook 70 at an early stage in the following cycle. The operation of the hook causes a latch member 81 mounted in the carrier ward movement in the operating station.

' 24 to hold the work supporting assembly against down- The last 20 and the shoe upper materials thereon are located vertically in the operating station by a fixed cam member or plate 76 which; as shown in FIG. l,'is ar- 88 extending to the left from said extension an'd arranged to receive a flange 90 extending outwardly from a sleeve 92fixed to the tubular member 32., 'Dhe sleeve is so disposed on the tubular member thatwhen the work supporting assembly'swingsfforwardly into its loading sta-' tion, as shown in FIGS. 1 and=3',- the right side portion of the flange 90 engages the upper surface of the plate. 1 88 whichpos'itively supports the work supporting assemblyagainst downward movement in the loading station. v'Ilhe work supporting assembly is positively held against forward movement'from its loading station by a link 94 pivotally mounted inthe carrier 24 and extending rearwardly therefrom through a suitable aperture in: the forward portion of the column 10. The rear end portion ,of the link 94 is threaded to receive a nut (not shown) which engages the inner wall of the column 10 and thus holds the work supporting assembly against forward movement from its loading station; In order to hold the work supporting assembly rigidly against rearward movement from ranged generally horizontally and slightly above the block 66. As shown in FIGV4 the plate 76 has a right end portion which is generally C-shaped' and has extended end portions '78 which are substantially parallel and somewhat closer together than the central portions of the plate.

As shown inFIG. 5 the end, portions 78 arev inclined upwardly at an angle of approximately 3 0.;

78' exert a cam action on the last to cause it to move downwardly as it advances rearwardly under the plate 76 into engagement with the 'y-block 66. Referring to its loading station, the illustrated-machine is provided with a latch'member herein illustrated as an-arm 96 pivotally mounted "between lugs 9,8 projecting upwardly from the flange 90. The arm '96 extends forwardly from the lugs 9 8-and has at'its forward extremity a latch tooth 100 whichengages a latch plate" 102 as the work supporting assembly comes to rest in-its loading station. The latch plate 102 is rigidly'incorporatedinthe arm 82 and extends. to the left therefrom as seen in front elevation into underlying relation to the latch arm '96. To provide for the disengagement of the latch arm from the plate 102 preparatory to-the rearward "movement of the Work supportingassembly from its loading station to its operating stationi the latch arm is connected to the last pin mounting head 52 by alink .104 pivotally connected at its lower extremity to thefree end portion of the latch arm and at its upper extremity to 'an'arm 106 extending forwardly from the right lug 56. Thus it will be'seen that swinging movement'of the last 20togetherwith the last pin assem bly from their loading position in FIG. 3 upwardly into their operating position moves the latch arm 96' upwardly into its position indicated by broken lines in FIG., 3, thus disengaging the latch tooth 100 from the plate 102 and releasing the work supporting assembly for rearward movement.

In the operating station the work supporting assembly is, rigidly held against downward movement by latch mechanism operated by the cam hook 70 as hereinb-efore described.

For locking the head 52 against forward swinging movement in the operating station the illustrated machine is provided with a pressure fluid operated plunger 108 (FIG. 5 having at its upper extremity a rearwardly offset head 110 arranged to engage the head 52. The lower portion of the plunger 103 is secured to a carrier, herein illustrated as a block 112, by a screw 116 extending through the carrier and the plunger and into a tapped hole in a clamping block 114, the carrier and the block being grooved to receive the plunger between them. The movement'of the plunger is guided by the bearing of the rear surface of the block 114 upon the tubular member 32 and by the bearing of the carrier 112 upon the parallel inner I 'walls .118 of a guide member 128 (FIG. 6) secured to a downward extension of the block 42 by a headed screw 121. For operating the plunger 108 a pressure fluid operated piston (not shown) is mounted in a cylinder 12-2 secured to the guide member 120 by the engagement of a threaded stem 126 (FIG. 3) in a tapped hole in the lower portion of the guide member. A piston rod 128 extends upwardly from the piston through a suitable bore in the stem 126 and has threaded engagement in the carrier block 112. Pressure fluid flows into the cylinder 122 through a suitable tube 136 connected to the base of the cylinder and connected at its rear end portion to an elbow 132 (FIG. 1) mounted in a valve housing 134 fastened to a horizontal channel member 136 secured to a motor mounting platform 138. The valve in the housing 134 is normally held closed by a spring (not shown) incorporated therein. To provide for the opening of the valve thereby to cause the flow of pressure fiuid through the tube 130 to the cylinder 122, the housing 134 has incorporated therein a valve operating plunger 140 (FIG. 2) and a suitable lever 142 constructed and arranged to operate the plunger. As shown in FIG. 2, the lever 142 is fulcrumed between lugs 144 projecting from the housing 134 and is guided by its engagement between similar lugs 146. The lever 142 is operated by a cam member 148 which is moved rearwardly by the swinging movement of the work supporting assembly from its loading station to its operating station. To this end the cam member is mounted on the rear portion of a rod 159 arranged to slide through a screw eye 152 mounted in the right side of the column In and fulcrumed at its forward extremity on the carrier 24. The cam member 148 has a beveled cam face 154 which engages a roll 156 mounted in the free end portion of the lever 142.

When the machine is at rest the work supporting assembly is in its loading station with the last pin swung forwardly as shown in FIG. 1 and the work supporting assembly held against rearward movement by the engagement of the latch arm 96 with the plate 102.

In the operation of the machine a last having an insole temporarily tacked to its bottom surface is arranged in inverted position and manually mounted on the forwardly inclined last pin 54 as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 1. The shoe upper materials are then assembled upon the heel end portion of the last, the back line of the upper being registered with the extremity of the heel end portion of the last. The inclined position of the last in the loading station enables the operator to view the back sembly from its loading station to its operating station. Thereupon the operator moves the last and the upper assembly thereon rearwardly, this movement being transmitted to the work supporting assembly through the last pin 54. In the course of its rearward movement the heel end portion of the upper engages the upturned end portions 78 of the plate 76 causing downward movement of the last and the work supporting assembly against the pressure of the spring 34 (FIG. 3). With the upper in engagement with the plate 76 but still spaced forwardly from the operating station, the operator sights the back line of the lasting margin of the upper against a suitable center line provided on the forward surface of a gripper jaw 158 (FIG. 1) and makes any adjustment of theshoe upper materials necessary to bring the backline into alinement with the center line of the gripper jaw. This having been accomplished, the operator completes the rearward movement of the last and the shoe upper assembly into the station position which is determined by the engagement of the heel end portion of the upper with the V block 66. During the final stage of the rearward movement of the swinging assembly a suitable linkage (not shown) operated by such swinging movement starts the power cycle of the machine. In the course of the power cycle the cam hook 70 engages the roll 72 to secure the swinging assembly against forward movement from its operating station position and operates the latch member 81 to hold the assembly against downward movement in the operating station. In the course of the power cycle the tack driver 14 inserts a temporary tack through the back line of the upper materials and into the last to hold the upper materials in their assembled position on the last. Thereupon, back line grippers, including the gripper jaw 158, engage the lasting margin of the upper at the back line and move forwardly to tension the back line portion of the upper heightwise of the last. A back line wiper (not shown) swings forwardly with the gripper assembly to wipe the back line portion of the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over the insole on the last 7 bottom whereupon the driver 18 operates to drive one or more tacks through the overlasted upper materials and through the heel end portion of the insole and into clenching engagement with a metal plate on the last bottom. During the latter part of the power cycle the lever retracts the cam hook 70 thus releasing the work supporting assembly for manual swinging movement forwardly from the operating station to the loading station where the last with the assembled upper materials fastened thereto is removed from the last pin.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a shoe machine, work supporting means having means for mounting a form constructed and arranged for the shaping of shoe upper parts thereon, means for mounting the work supporting means for movement between a loading station and an operating station, means for holding the work supporting means against movement from the loading station, and means operated by a movement of the form for releasing the supporting means for movement from the loading station.

2. In a shoe machine, work supporting means having means for mounting a form upon which shoe parts are shaped, said mounting means being constructed and arranged to afford movement of the form relatively to the supporting means between a loading position and an operating position, means mounting the supporting means for movement between a loading station and an operating station, means for holding the work support against movement from the loading station, and means operated by a movement of a form on said mounting means from its loading position to its operating position for releasing the work supporting means for movement from the load ing station. 

1. IN A SHOE MACHINE, WORK SUPPORTING MEANS HAVING MEANS FOR MOUNTING A FORM CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED FOR THE SHAPING OF SHOE UPPER PARTS THEREON, MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE WORK SUPPORTING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A LOADING STATION AND AN OPERATING STATION, MEANS FOR HOLDING THE WORK SUPPORTING MEANS AGAINST MOVEMENT FROM THE LOADING STATION, AND MEANS OPERATED BY A MOVEMENT OF THE FORM FOR RELEASING THE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR MOVE MENT FROM THE LOADING STATION. 